SCHOOLS are reporting above-average student absences for the short three-day start to Term 2.

But students who stay away are missing out on vital lessons, with educators warning essential curriculum is being covered like any other day of the school year.

Brisbane Catholic Education Office communications manager John Phelan said some schools reported absentee rates of 5 to 15 per cent in the southeast Metropolitan area compared to the normal 1 to 3 per cent.

Many workers have cashed in on three days annual leave to create a two-week holiday with the Easter break backing on to Anzac Day.

Mr Phelan said he hoped the absenteeism was not a choice by parents.

“We would hope that it’s not because parents have simply decided to extend the school holidays by another week,” he said.

“But equally the arrangement with the term dates this year is not ideal.”

Gold Coast’s Emmanuel College, which returned to its usual 96 per cent attendance rate yesterday, said they also couldn’t explain why they had double the number of students usually away absent on their first day back this week.

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Kevin Bates said some schools were reporting higher absentee rates but it was in line with the number of children normally away around public and other holidays.

Queensland Association of State School Principals president Michael Fay said every day counted, with students this week learning literacy and numeracy, about Anzac Day and some preparing for NAPLAN.

Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) assistant Director-General Wayne Butler warned parents were responsible for their child’s school attendance unless they had a reasonable excuse, such as illness.

“Many schools will be setting the foundations for Term 2 this week,” he said.

“School absenteeism can impact significantly on students’ learning and wellbeing.”

A DETE spokesman said its regions had not received reports of excessive staff or student absences this week.

Mabel Park State School parent Karen Nicholson said she had noticed fewer children at school this week.

Usually the car park is “standing room only of an afternoon,” but yesterday she was surprised to secure a spot.

The 47-year-old said an extra three days off was out of the question for her kids, who are in grades 4, 9 and 11.

“(People) think because they have Monday and Friday off, what’s the point of sending them for three days, but that’s three days of school they are missing out on,” she said.

News_Rich_Media: Militants from Boko Haram have abducted 234 girls from a school in Nigeria's Borno state. Nathan Frandino reports.

News.com.au's Privacy Policy includes important information about our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information (including to provide you with targeted content and advertising based on your online activities). It explains that if you do not provide us with information we have requested from you, we may not be able to provide you with the goods and services you require. It also explains how you can access or seek correction of your personal information, how you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with a complaint of that nature.